For more than a century Thomas De Quincey has been regarded as one of the greatest fantasy writers among English authors. Critics list his works as the highest possible flights of imagination. He himself gave them the title of “dreams.” That there was a connection between his writing and his use of drugs has always been recognized, but always with the idea that the opium set him free to exercise his imagination. No one has pointed out that instead of being an imaginist he should be considered a clinical reporter of facts.